The grip, or grip portion, of a handgun functions as the user physically interfaces with the handgun. Accordingly, control of the handgun is the direct result of the hand pressure that the user exerts on the grip. Because hand sizes among different users vary greatly, the grip of a handgun can be modified to accommodate various users. Moreover, it may also be desirable for a user to configure the grip of a handgun depending on the particular shooting application. For example, a user may prefer a grip having a soft texture for use in applications in which the handgun is subjected to repeated use in a short period of time (e.g., competitive shooting matches). The same user may prefer a grip having a hard, smooth texture for carrying the handgun in instances where the grip repeatedly contacts the user's skin (e.g., while being carried in a holster under a shirt or in a trouser leg). Additionally, multiple users with varying handsizes may share a firearm, making it desirable to increase or decrease the grip size, and particularly the size of the backstrap portion.
The grips of some handguns allow sleeves or similar devices to be inserted thereover to allow the grip to be modified. However, modifications made by such a method generally add weight and thickness to the grip, thereby forcing the user to alter his manual grip, or hold, on the firearm. Modifications may also be made by removing an existing grip portion from the handgun frame to allow a different grip portion to be installed. In these instances, the removal of the grip portion often requires tools (e.g., screwdrivers, hex wrenches, punches, or the like) to remove screws or pins that maintain the grip portions on the frame. The use of tools generally complicates the process by which the grip portions are changed. Consequently, users may be less likely to modify the grips of their handguns for different purposes.
What is needed is a handgun on which a grip portion can be easily interchanged with another grip portion depending upon the particular needs of the user.